Agitator



Oct. 28, 1941. L. B. 'aER' AGITATOR Filed Oct. 22, less 2 Sheets-Sheet lnz/erurk Janis ,5. fiery the agitator; Fig. '1. is a verticallongitudinal Patented Oct. 28, 1941 ENTi OFFICE,

AGITATOR Louis B. Berg, Chicago, 111., assignor to Borg WarnerCorporation, Chicago, 11],, acorporation or Illinois Application October22, 1938, Serial No. 236,415 2 Claims. (01. 68-134) This inventionrelates to washing machine agitators, and has as its primary object toprovide an agitator of inexpensive construction. To this end, theinvention proposes toemployhinstead of the conventional aluminumcasting, a

wholly sheet metal construction.

Anotherobject of the invention is to provide 'such an agitator which,although of extrem'ey simplicity and low cost in construction-isnevertheless possessed of more than ample sturdiness and durabilityunder the severe conditions 0 usage to which it must be subjected.

Another object is to provide such an agitator which, in spite of thefact that it is made of sheet-metal, has its agitating vanes formed, inthe regions which contact I the clothes, with Fig. 9 is a plan view ofthe hub portion of a further modified form of the agitator; and

Fig. 1.0- is an axial sectional view of the a itator of Fig. 9 and theassociated drive shaft. 1

The agitatorshownin Figs. 1 to 5, inclusive,

is constructed from a single rectangular strip of sheet metal, suchassheet steel. This strip of metal is bent in any suitable bending die,along lines parallel to its ends, to aprism shape, as shown in Fig. 4,and the ends of the strip are butt-welded together, as at l I, so as toform three sides 12 of uniform shape and dimensions. The

sides I! are joined'by integral rounded channels l3 forming the comersor the prism-shaped body. In the next step of the process, theprismshaped body is subjected to the action of a suitsmooth broadlyrounded edges which cannot inlure the clothes.

Another objectof the invention is to provide an agitator which may beformed of a sheet of metal stock without wastage.

Another object of the invention is to rovide an agitator of sheet metalhaving splines. or keys for securing it to the drive shaft of a washingmachine, such splines or keys being'formed integrally in the sheet metalof the agitator.

Another object of the invention'is to provide an agitator including ahub member for attachment to a drive shaft of a washing machine,,a

Y plurality of circumferentially spaced radial vanes, and a downwardlyflaring skirtmember, all

formed integrally of a single body of sheet metal. Other objects,the'advantages and uses of the invention will become apparent afterreading the following specification and claims, and after able formingdie which. collapses the sides I 2 inwardly, so as to form the sides |2aof the agitator vanes II, and so as to form web portions l2b joining theside wall Ila of each vane It to an adjacent side wall Ila of anadjacent vane tion, are given their final cross sectional form.

i4. The web portions [217 collectively form a roughly cylindrical sleevewhich, is adapted to be further deformed in the next step of theoperation. The vanes H, in this first forming opera- In the next step ofthe operation, .the agitator issubjected to pressure in anotherdie,which forces the upper regions of the vanes l4 radiallyinwardlytoward each other, until the vanes l4 assume the converging relationshipshown in Figs. 1 and 3. During this forming operation, the excess metalwhich is developed inthe upper consideration'of the drawings forming apart of the speciflcation,-wherein:

Y Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a washing machineembodying theinvention, a portion of the side wall of the tub being broken away toillustrate the agitator therein:

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the agitator according to one form which the,invention may take;

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view of the agi tator taken as indicatedby the line 3-3of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the agitatorin an initial stage offormation;

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the agitator in an intermediate stage offormation;

Fig. 6 is a plan view of a modified form of A Y sectional view of theagitator shown in 6;

Fig. 8 is a perspective view of the agitator of, Fig. 6, inau initialstage of formation;

regions of the web portions [2b is pushed radially inwardly toward theaxis-'01 the agitatorby suitable portions of the die, so as to formsmoothly rounded keys It for securing the agitator to the drive'sh'aftit of the washing machine. The. keys ii are adapted to be received intriangular shaped'smoothly rounded key slots l'l formed in the upper endof the shaft It, as shown. The

' remainder of the metal of the web portions l2b is formed into'atrunco-conical skirt member It.

The upper andlower ends of the agitator'remain open. 'The agitator isarranged and proportioned with respect to the shaft I6 so-that its lowerend will be spaced just above the bottom I! of the washing machine l9ain which it, is

installed.

In the form of the invention shown in Figs 1 6 and 7 the agitator isconstructed by. first form- 20 in Fig. 8. The body 20 is then subjectedto pressure in a suitable die, whereby circumferentially spaced sideregions thereof are collapsed ing a conical sheet metal body asindicated at inwardly so as to form the web portions 2|, joiningtogether the vanes 22, each oi which comprises a pair of spaced sidewalls, as in the form of the invention previously described, joined byrounded channels 23 forming the edges of the vanes. The web portions 2|,at their lower regions, merge into a conical, nearlyiiat disc-like skirtmember 24, the rim of which may be rolled as at 25., so that allsurfaces of the agitator in contact with the clothes will be smooth androunded. Intermediate the skirt 24 and the shaft receiving hub formed bythe collective web portion 2| are a series of offset shoulders 26,bymeans of which the agitator may be supported upon the shoulder 21 of theshaft Ma. The upper regions of the web portions 2| merge into a hub 28.

In this form of the invention, the upper end of the shaft |6a is formed,above the shoulder 21, with an extension 29, triangular in crosssection. which fits in the hub 23, and is drivingly joined thereto atits upper end by means of an insert sleeve, which likewise is triangularin cross section. The sleeve is pressed into the hub and located againstinternal beads 3| formed in the hub. In order to exclude moisture fromthe interior of the agitator, a cap 32 of rubber or the like may befitted over a reduced end 33 of the shaft Ito, and arranged to fitsnugly within the sleeve 30.

The form of the invention shown in Figs. 9 and 10, is substantially thesame as that shown in Figs. 6 and 7 with the exception that the hub 34at its upper end is provided with an insert sleeve 35 which has anopening 36 that does not conform to the shape of the hub 34. Thisconstruction may be employed where the drive shaft has an upper end 31which is, for example, squared. Thus the shaft, instead of beingspecially constructed to lit the agitator, as in the other forms ofthe'invention, may be a conventional shaft of any type now in use.

The insert 35 in this case, instead of being madebf sheet metal, is inthe form of a casting having relatively thick walls, as shown.Furthermore,

the upper end of the hub 34 may in this case be cylindrical.

It will be observed that lnthe forms shown in Figs. 1 to 3 inclusive noadaptor is necessary between the drive shaft IG and the agitator. Thedriving contact is between tapered slots II in shaft-l6 and the inwardlyprojecting flanges in the agitator. The contacting surfaces of theagitator are enameled and if it were not for the smoothly rounded edges,the natural resilience in the spaced wall construction used for theflanges, and the tapered slots, the continuous reversal of torque wouldsoonchip the enamel and render the agitator worthless. The constructionillustrated provides a soft drive which protects the enameled finishilrst 'of all by causing the agitator to ride up on the slots until thepressure is relieved, and secondly by eliminating all sharp corners inthe agitator.

I claim:

1. An enameled washing machine agitator of sheet metal having a constantthickness, said agitator comprising a plurality of vanes each having apair of walls integrally joined at the outer edge of the vane, a webportion joining the wall of one vane to a wall of an adjacent vane.

' and a tapered driving key formed in each of said web portions byspaced walls jointed by a smooth curved portion, the web portionsbetween said keys collectively forming a shaft receiving hub.

2. An enameled sheet metal washing machine agitator, the metal of whichis of constant thickness, said agitator comprising a plurality of vanes,each having a pair of spaced walls integrally joined at the outer edgesof the vane by a smooth curved portion, a web portion joining a wall ofone vane to a wall of an adjacent vane, each of said web portions havinginwardly projecting spaced walls defining a key having a rounded edgeregion and a shaft having rounded tapered slots receiving the flangesfor driving the agitator, the rounded keys and slots co0perating to forma cushioned drive free from sharp comers which would injure the enameledfinish.

' LOUIS B. BERG.

